Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

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posted by Gina Dickson on December 4, 2021

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You are going to enjoy baking and serving these traditional Swiss Christmas cookie recipes. Baking Christmas cookies, popular in other countries, is a great way to experience other cultures’ holiday traditions.

These Swiss cookie recipes are easy to make, and the combination of real butter and fine flour makes them a special treat that you will want to make every year. Santa will love getting these on his Christmas Eve plate.

Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (1)

How Are Swiss Cookies Different Than American

Traditional Swiss Christmas cookies have a basic dough, just like American cookies. They are made with the basic ingredients of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. However, a few items are not quite as typical in America’s most popular chocolate chip cookie.

  • ground nuts
  • vanilla sugar
  • fruit jams

How to make ground nut flour

If you are not able to find ground nut flour in your local grocery store then purchase the nuts whole. Add the amount you need to your food processor and finely gride them. You want a consistency of fine flour mixture.

  • You can make ground walnuts.
  • Using whole almonds, you can make ground almonds flour. These tend to give you lighter and finer flour because they are not as oily as some nuts.

How to make vanilla sugar

In many Swiss cookie recipes, vanilla sugar is used instead of vanilla extract. If you do not have Swiss groceries in your area, you can order vanilla sugar or make your own.

To make vanilla sugar, place a split vanilla pod and a 1/2 cup of sugar in a shallow container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a dark, cool place like your pantry. Give the container a shack each day for two weeks. If you are in a hurry, you could also purchase vanilla paste.

Tip For Making Swiss Cookies

Many Swiss cookie dough recipes are sticky and have a matt finish. Allowing dry time after mixing the dough helps them become less sticky and easier to work with when shaping your cookies.

Tools For Making Cookies

When making cookies for gift-giving, it’s fun and easy to use a cookie press.

OXO Good Grips 14-Piece Cookie Press Set

Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (2)Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (3)

You will need a rolling pin and rolling sticks for many traditional Swiss cookie recipes. The sticks will be placed on each side of the dough. As you roll, you will only be able to roll the dough to the thickness of the sticks. this way, your dough will be even, and the cookies will bake evenly. You can also purchase rolling pins that have rings to place on the end for the thickness of dough you desire.

Adjustable Rolling Pin with Removable Rings, 13.6″, Multi-Color

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It is easier to roll out cookie dough on a non-stick silicone baking mat.

Silicone Baking Mat,26″ x 16″ Extra Thick Large Non Stick

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Basler Brunsli

Basler Brusli cookies are made with almond flour, and warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa powder. You can sprinkle powdered sugar or melted chocolate on them when you are ready to serve.

Basler brunsli, or just brunsli, are a “Wiehnachtsguezli(Christmas cookie) from Switzerland. “Basler” means from Basel, a city in the German-speaking part of the country. “Brun” means brown and the “li” ending means little. They are usually cut into star or flower shapes.

This recipe is great to share because they are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Also, they are great cookies to take to parties so those who have food sensitivities can have a special treat and not worry about gluten or dairy.

Basler brunsli (Swiss chocolate almond cookies)

Swiss Basler brunsli are a traditional cookie made with almonds, chocolate and a touch of spice. Naturally gluten free and deliciously good.

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Spitzbuben

If you need an easy and quick recipe, you will want to make Spitzbuben. They have a few simple ingredients, such as flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and an egg. The filling can be your favorite fruit jam.

Spitzbuben Cookies – Platter Talk

Spitzbuben Jam Sandwich Holiday Cookies are an easy and delicious Swiss butter cookie that you can fill with your choice of fruit or berry preserves.

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Vanillekipferl

This is a traditional recipe for crescent-shaped cookies that are a buttery melt-in-your-mouth treat that is dusted with confectioners sugar. They are popular in Switzerland and in Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary. The name of these cookies is the German word for vanilla crescents.

Vanillekipferl – vanilla crescent cookies (+ video) – Everyday Delicious

Vanillekipferl – melt-in-your-mouth vanilla crescent cookies. These Austrian / German Christmas cookies will be a hit at your holiday table!

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Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (10)

Spitzbuben (sandwich cookies)

These are traditional Swiss cookies that have a slightly crispy buttery cookie. The center of the sandwich cookie is filled with your choice of favorite jam or jelly.

They make a special delicious gift. Marlynn puts a special twist on these cookies by forming them using a cookie press. This will make it easy to put them into a cookie tin and mail.

Swiss Sandwich Cookies: Spitzbuben

These yummy Spitzbuben cookies are traditional Swiss Sandwich Cookies that have a buttery cookie shell and fruity jam center.

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How do you keep cookies fresh during the holidays?

  1. The best way to keep cookies fresh is after baking, allow them to cool at room temperature.
  2. Then layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper in a shallow airtight container.
  3. To keep them moist, place two slices of white bread on top of the cookies in your container. The bred will help keep moisture in your cookies.

Free How To Measure Butter Printable

There you are, right in the middle of making a recipe, and it calls for butter by the pound. But you are wondering how many tablespoons are in a pound of butter. You clean your hands best you can and grab your phone, flour getting on your phone screen. Save yourself time and stop getting your phone messy while cooking. Print this butter conversion chart and tape it on the inside of your cabinet door, or keep it handy in your favorite cookbook.

Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (12)

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2 comments on “Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes”

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  1. Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (13)

    Dan from Platter Talk Reply

    These are all wonderful examples of Swiss Christmas cookies and I can’t decide which to try first. I’m thinking I may just go down the line and try them all! Thanks so much for putting this together and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    • Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (14)

      Gina Reply

      Thanks Dan!

Christmas Dessert

posted by Gina Dickson on December 4, 2021

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Traditional Swiss Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the traditional Christmas meal in Switzerland? ›

The most popular choices for Christmas dinner are Filet im Teig (pastry wrapped pork fillet with sausage meat), Fondue Chinoise (meat fondue) or Schinkli im Teig (pastry wrapped hot ham) with potato salad. Eight. The Christmas tree. The Swiss usually buy a real tree, either a Weisstanne, Rottanne or Nordmanntanne.

What is the number 1 Christmas cookie? ›

The Iced Sugar Cookie takes the top spot, stealing the show as the most favorite Christmas cookie with classic sweetness and festive decorations. Simple, delicious, and a canvas for creativity- it's the “go-to” for holiday bakers.

What is the original Christmas cookie? ›

Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west.

Which of these is a thin hard Christmas biscuit originally from Switzerland? ›

Tirggel are traditional Christmas biscuits from Zürich, Switzerland. Made from flour and honey, they are thin, hard, and sweet.

What Christmas tradition is different in Switzerland from Germany? ›

Samichlaus, the Swiss Santa

In the evening of 6 December, the Samichlaus (or Santa Claus) visits every family with his helper Schmutzli, who is usually dressed in all-black clothes with a blackened face. Unlike in other countries, Santa knocks on the door and is invited in.

What sweet holiday tradition especially popular in Switzerland is popular at Christmas? ›

Panettone – Popular at Christmas and New Year. First produced by a Milanese baker in the early 20th century. Especially popular throughout Italian and French-speaking Switzerland.

What is the least favorite Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is the number one selling cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is America's favorite holiday cookie? ›

Among those who can make a single choice, frosted sugar cookies lead the list (32%), with gingerbread (12%) and chocolate chip (11%) rounding out the top three. Snickerdoodles (6%) come in fourth place, followed by butter (4%), peanut butter (4%), and chocolate (4%) tying for fifth.

What country invented Christmas cookies? ›

The First Christmas Cookies

Those who would like to take credit for the invention of the Christmas cookie will have to arm wrestle the Germans for it. They believe that Weihnachtsplätzchen, a term that refers specifically to cookies and broadly to holiday treats, encompasses the origin of Christmas baking.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

What makes a cookie a Christmas cookie? ›

What I call ``Christmas Cookies'' are simply vanilla biscuits cut out in Christmas shapes and iced with colourful festive frosting. They taste like shortbread cookies, but not quite as buttery or crumbly. They are as classic as vanilla biscuits can be.

What is the famous biscuit in Switzerland? ›

  • Biscuits & cakes. Kägi fret Mini Classic Chocolate Wafers – 152g. ...
  • Biscuits & cakes. Wernli Choco Petit Beurre Cookie – 125g. ...
  • Biscuits & cakes. Appenzeller Barli-Biber – 6x43g. ...
  • Biscuits & cakes. Wernli Butter Heart Biscuits – 100g. ...
  • Biscuits & cakes. Ovomaltine Petit Beurre – 145g. ...
  • -17% ...
  • Biscuits & cakes. ...
  • Biscuits & cakes.

What is Swiss Christmas? ›

The main Christmas celebration, known as Heiliger Abend, is on December 24. Many Swiss people decorate their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and presents are exchanged after dinner. For children, presents on Christmas Eve usually come from the Christ child.

What is a Scottish biscuit called? ›

Shortbread or shortie is a traditional Scottish biscuit usually made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three to four parts plain wheat flour. Shortbread does not contain any leavening, such as baking powder or baking soda.

What do they eat in the Swiss Christmas market? ›

Traditional Foods and Handcrafted Artwork

Roasted chestnuts, glühwein, crepes, fresh pastries, pain d'épices, and bubbling hot raclette are available to enjoy as you peruse the gifts for sale in the decorated Christmas chalets.

What do they eat in Switzerland in the winter? ›

Some traditional Swiss dishes, such as fondue and raclette, are more typically eaten in the winter. Others, such as muesli – also known in Switzerland as Birchermüesli – and rösti are popular all year round and come in many variations.

What do Swedish people eat for Christmas dinner? ›

Christmas presents are under the lighted tree, candles shine brightly and the smorgasbord (or smörgåsbord, as it's written in Swedish) has been prepared with all the classic dishes: Christmas ham, pork sausage, an egg and anchovy mixture (gubbröra), herring salad, pickled herring, home-made liver pâté, wort-flavoured ...

How does Switzerland celebrate on Christmas Day? ›

Christmas in Switzerland isn't that different from the traditions of other countries. This is also a family celebration where people spend quality time together, singing, making music, strolling through Christmas markets and going to events such as Advent concerts in the run-up to Christmas.

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